What an adventure! Every now and then you come across a book that hits all of your marks- your very own criteria, or checklist, if you will, for what makes a perfect book- YOUR perfect book. Well, The Girl from Everywhere hit all of mine- it hit them right out of the park! I feel like this book was written just for me. It may be cheesy to say "It really spoke to me" but speak to me it did! I identified with the characters on a deep, personal level(I'll get to that further on) and I thoroughly enjoyed the story!
The characters in TGFE really made the story. It's a very character-driven book, which I love. And the characters were ones I could definitely relate to on a very personal level. It's a very diverse cast of characters as well which I'm always glad to see in YA. They all came from different backgrounds and are different ethnicities and even sexual orientation. There is also a character that struggles with addiction which is rare to see in any book, but most especially the Young Adult genre. I think it should be covered more often as opposed to being a taboo subject. Addiction is, unfortunately, a very prevalent disease, and it would help if today's youth were made aware of it's perils and pitfalls through another medium. In any regard- it made the story and characters so much more real to me because there was such a scope of diversity, backgrounds, and vices/personal demons. I especially loved the main character, Nix(Nixie) Song. The author did an amazing job portraying a you g girl in her particular situation and made it very believable. I loved her personality. She really came across as a regular girl. I could see her as any girl her age in this era. Her father, Slate was such a rounded character. His part of the story was really what drove(or sailed) it along and I enjoyed it the most. I think if the author had decided to write his and Lin's(Nix's mother) story it would have been even more amazing! It was such an incredibly heartwarming and romantic story. I loved it! It really drew me in from the start. I'm a sucker for adventure and period pieces so time travel books are right up my alley! This is just the kind of adventure novel with a group of lovable characters that I just want to live in and be a part of. I loved the workings of time travel in this book as well. Its more "magical" in nature than it is scientific as some are, which oddly enough makes it more easy to believe and follow. I think it's because you are able to completely suspend all sense of reality as opposed to having to put your brain to use muddling through intricate scientific explanations and naturally finding holes in it. It was just easier this way all around and that left more room for the story. Another thing I really loved about TGFE were the maps(yes- plural!) that were interspersed throughout the book as you need them. I love books with maps. It's always an amazing adventure when there's a map included and this book was all about maps! The settings(and times) in the story were fascinating as well. Not to mention all the history the author worked into an already amazing story! Maps, history, adventure, time travel, and young love! Everything I could ask for in a great Young Adult novel!
Some would say there is a "love triangle" in the story but I wouldn't really call it that myself. It looked like it may go in that direction for a short time but that was more in support of the plotline than anything else. It actually made me love Nix even more that she wasn't as fickle in her affections as some other YA heroines. She was always sure of who she really wanted to be with. She knew there was potential elsewhere but never truly strayed. That's all I can say without giving too much away. I loved Kashmir! I have a new book boyfriend! If you love Adrian Ivaskov(Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead), you will go gaga for Kashmir! He's incredibly smart, witty, and oh-so-lovable! I loved his backstory more than any other YA "book boyfriend."
This is just a truly amazing book. Heidi Heilig did an amazing job. I love her writing style- she makes amazing characters that are so very real and describes everything in such a way that you are right there with them. Her descriptions were truly on another level! Very original.
I'm not sure if this is a standalone or the first in a series but I'm satisfied either way(although I would love to see more of these characters that I've come to love!) there was no cliffhanger ending and everything was resolved very well. I loved the ending. There was definite character growth especially for Slate and his relationship with Nix. I must confess that I cried. But it was balanced out with plenty of laughs as well!
I can't rave enough about this book! I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys adventure novels, loves history and period novels, or time travel. It's such an amazing, heartfelt adventure. It will sweep you off your feet if only you let it!
*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
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Reviews with images
Phenomenal!
I absolutely loved it. A phenomenal little story with adventure and love! I would definitely recommend it.
Top reviews from other countries
Laura Machado
Bom, mas não muito marcante
Reviewed in Brazil on March 31, 2022
Laura Machado
Reviewed in Brazil on March 31, 2022
A ideia da história é bem legal. Viagem no tempo que só funciona com a ajuda de mapas feitos na época do lugar é uma ideia incrível. Confesso que preferia se o pai da protagonista não fosse um personagem, pois ele só serve para impedi-la de atingir o potencial que sua posição nesse livro deveria ter. Ele tem tanto significado na história, que a mantém para baixo por um bom tempo. Mas a visita ao Havaí foi bem interessante e as poucas viagens para outros lugares e outras épocas também. Fiquei especialmente feliz pelos mapas pelo livro.
Minha parte favorita é o Kashmir, que é cativante e interessante desde sua primeira cena e que deveria ter aparecido mais vezes. Sabe quando um personagem secundário consegue carregar toda a história só por ser incrível e divertido? Kashmir teria sido esse personagem se ele aparecesse mais vezes. Shippei ele com a Nix desde o começo e nem me incomodei com o triângulo amoroso super desnecessário que apareceu.
Acho que é tudo que tenho para elogiar. Além do pai da Nix, outra coisa da qual eu não gostei foi a falta de ação e de experiências diferentes. Em uma história sobre viagem no tempo, espero pelo menos que a protagonista vá para épocas diferentes entre si, que o enredo seja mais movimentado e menos parado.
Mas nada disso é o que me impede de ter gostado, ainda que acredite que a escrita e o livro em si são bastante competentes. É a protagonista, Nix, que afunda esse livro.
Eu não exijo muito de protagonistas. Não exijo que sejam perfeitas, que tenham opiniões parecidas com as minhas, que sejam fortes, incríveis, engraçadas, capazes, nada assim. Mas se você vai escrever um livro na primeira pessoa, seria legal se a protagonista ao menos tivesse personalidade, se ela tivesse uma noz narrativa interessante e divertida. É tudo tão sem graça quando visto e narrado pelo ponto de vista dela. Tudo tão seco e superficial. Até mesmo cenas que eu torcia para acontecer, quando aconteciam, eram mais anticlimáticas do que interessantes. Nix não tem atitude, opinião, autonomia ou qualquer característica marcante.
Isso é especialmente decepcionante quando eu sei que, se ela fosse um pouco melhor construída, ofuscaria todo o resto.
Entendo quem gosta do livro, não recomendo, mas tampouco desencorajo quem queira ler. Só queria que tivesse sido um livro mais divertido e marcante, como sua ideia fazia parecer ser.
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Mark
Treat yourself to this one. Thoroughly enjoyable. Check out the sample, you’ll be glad you did.
Reviewed in Australia on March 15, 2017